Locking catch



F. R. JOHNSON Jan. 4, 1938.

LOCKING CATCH Filed Jan. 50, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. F652; R. Jo/znsv/L ATTORNEY.

F. R. JOHNSON Jan. 4, I938.

LOCKING CATCH Filed Jan. 50, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOCKING CATCH Application January 30, 1937, Serial No. 123,306

11 Claims.

This invention relates to spring catch mechanisms for use on receptacles such as vanity cases, cigarette cases, eyeglass cases and the like having hinged covers, or on handbags, purses and the like having hinged mouthpieces, to hold the covers, mcuthpieces or the like closed, and has particular reference to improvements in spring catches of the type which are laterally tiltable between cover or mouthpiece fastening and cover or mouthpiece releasing positions.

Prior spring catch mechanisms of the present general type usually have involved constructions such that portions of the mechanisms necessarily were disposed at the inner sides of receptacles to which the mechanisms were applied. Valuable receptacle space, especially in the case of small receptacles, thus was occupied and frequently the catch mechanisms included projecting portions by which articles contained within the receptacles might be damaged. .In some cases, to avoid this, and to obtain a more attractive appearance of the interior of the receptacle, it was considered necessary to provide a finishing plate to cover the portion of the mechanism disposedinteriorly of the receptacle.

Accordingly, one important object of the present invention is to provide a spring catch mechanism of the laterally tilting type embodying a construction whereby substantially the entire mechanism is disposed outside of the recepta cle to which the mechanism is applied. Thereby, the receptacle space available for use is increased by an amount equal to the space occupied by the interiorly disposed portions of prior spring 5 catches and there is avoided interiorly projecting portions of the catch mechanism which might catch and tear or otherwise damage articles being placed in or removed from the receptacles. Also, there is avoided any necessity of an interior covering or trimming plate and the cost of the mechanism is correspondingly reduced, as compared with prior mechanisms employing such a plate.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a spring catch mechanism of the laterally tilting type which not only embodies a nonetheless forms which have been found high- 10' ly satisfactory under actual service conditions and well adapted to the requirements of commercial manufacture on a quantity scale.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conven- 15 tional receptacle equipped with a spring catch in accordance with one form of my invention, the receptacle being open.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the recep tacle closed.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the compartment-forming member of the receptacle on which my catch is mounted.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the parts of the catch mechanism in separated relationship. 2

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, the receptacle cover being shown closed.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the receptacle partly opened.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective of the compartment-forming member shown in Fig. 1, with the catch in the position it assumes when the receptacle is opened as in Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing another embodiment of my catch.

Figure 9 is a View similar to Fig. 4 of the mech- 3 anism shown in Fig. 8. a

Figure 10 is a section on the line lU-IO of Fig. 8, the receptacle being closed.

Figure 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10, the recep- 40 tacle being opened.

Figure 12 is a section on the line |2--|2 0 Fig. 8, the receptacle being closed; and

Figure 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12, the receptacle being shown partly opened. 45

In both embodiments of my invention, the receptacle comprises two hinged together compartment-forming members, viz. a body member 201 and a cover member 2|. These are hinged together along one edge, here shown as the rear edge of the receptacle, by a hinge 22 which preferably, but not necessarily, includes a suitable spring in accordance with known practice tending constantly to swing the cover to open position.

The receptacle may be of any size, shape, ma-

terial and design and may be used for any purpose. The compartment-forming members 20, 2| thereof are provided with continuous marginal flanges or walls 23 and 24, respectively, which provide a compartment of the desired depth for the reception of any article or articles, fittings or equipment in accordance with the intended use of the receptacle.

Disposed-at the front of the flange 23 of the body member 20 and extending longitudinally with respect thereto is my manually operable spring catch.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive the spring member of such catch is disposed externally of the receptacle. In the form illustrated in Figs. 8 to 13 inclusive it is disposed interiorly of the receptacle.

In both forms, the catch mechanism comprises only three component members, viz. a leaf spring 25, a panel 26 and a finger-piece 21 for tilting the-panel 26 to cover-releasing position.

Struck forwardly from the flange 24 of the cover member is. a pair of spaced apart lugs or detents 28, 28 with which the panel 26 cooperates to fasten the cover closed.

Although my spring catch may be variously constructed and assembled, the embodiment of the same illustrated in, Figs. 1 to 7 is constructed and assembled as follows:

The flange 23 at the front of the receptacle body 20 is slitted to provide a pair of spaced apart positioning prongs 30 which are struck outwardly from said flange and have their free end portions directed toward each other.

The spring 25 is undercut from each end towards its center, leaving an uncut central section 3|. At the outer terminals of this central section 3| are the shoulders. 32 resulting from such undercutting. The spring has a slight normal outward bow, and at the upper, outer corners of its end portions 33 it is bent sharply outwardly to provide projections 29.

Approximately centrally of its length the spring 25 is offset outwardly from top to bottom as at 34, and in this offset portion is a slot 35.

The panel 26 is constructed as a casing memher having inwardly bent top and bottom marginal flanges 363l-and end flanges.

Near its ends the finger-piece 21 has two inwardly projecting anchoring lugs 38, and at its center a single inwardly projecting anchoring lug 39. The panel 26 is provided with correspondingly located openings 40-40 and 4| to receive said lugs.

The central lug 39 is slightly longer than the end lugs 38 so as to pass through the slot 35 in the portion 34 of the spring 25 and to be riveted over against said spring to secure the latter within the panel 26, the spring being held properly positioned at its ends relative to the panel by the projections 29. The end lugs 38 pass through the slots 49-49 of the panel 26 and are similarly secured to said panel.

In assembling, the members 25, 26 and 21 first are assembled with one another. Thereafter the catch assembly is assembled as a unit with the body member 20 of the receptacle. In accomplishing this I insert a pair of spreader pins (not shown) or their equivalents under the undercut end portions 33 of the spring 25 and flex said end portions inwardly towards the flange 23 of the receptacle body 26 until the shoulders 32 or ends of the spring section 3| are spread away from the flange 36 at the lower edge of the panel 26 sufliciently to enable them. to be inserted downwardly behind the prongs 30. The spreader pins are now removed, whereupon the spring is released and springs outwardly, thus drawing the panel 26 inwardly to its operative position against the front of the receptacle flange 23 with its up per portion extending above said flange, in which operative position it is held due to the portions 33 of the spring 25 overlying the prongs 3D and to the bottom flange 36 of the panel underlying said prongs.

When the receptacle cover is closed (see Figs. 2 and 5) the lugs or detents 28, which are of wedge shape, engage the flange 31 of the panel 26 and, by a'wedging action, force the upper portion of the panel outwardly until they pass by said flange 31. Thereupon, under the action of the spring 25, the panel snaps inwardly and its flange 3'! engages over the upper, flat ends of the lugs or detents 28, thereby securing the cover closed. In this connection it will be noted that by bending the. ends 33 of the spring 25 outwardly to provide the projections 29, spaces are provided at the same time'to; accommodate the lugs or detents 28.

In opening the receptacle finger pressure is applied downwardly on the finger-piece 21. Thereby, the panel 26 is rocked or tilted about the points. of engagement of its, bottom flange 36 with the front 23 of the receptacle and with the under edges of the prongs 39, and its top flange 31 consequently is swung outwardly from above the lugs or detents 28. The cover then is free to be swung open manually or by its spring, depending, of course, upon whether a spring is or is not provided to urge it open.

When. the panel 26 is rocked or tilted outwardly, the spring 26 obviously is torsionally energized due to the same being secured medially to the panel and at the ends of its medial portion 3| to the receptacle flange 23 by the prongs 30. Thus, when released, the panel returns to its normal position under the influence of the spring 25 in readiness to secure the cover closed in the manner described upon subsequent closing of the cover.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 8 to 13 inclusive the action is substantially the same as in Figs. 1 to '7 inclusive, but the spring 25- is located interiorly of the receptacle.

7 In this embodiment of the invention the flanges 23 at the front of the receptacle is provided intermediate of its height with a pair of outwardlystruck, downwardly facing prongs 42 and the upper edge of said flange, between said prongs 42, has formed therein a pair of end notches 43, 43, and a central notch 44, these notches being separated by intervening projections, (see Fig. 9).

The panel 26 is provided with a central slot 45 and two sets of slots 46, 46 and 41, 41, respectively, spaced outwardly from said central slot.

The finger-piece 2'! is provided with an inwardly projecting, downturned central tongue. 43 of a width substantially corresponding to the central slot 45, an intermediate pair of inwardly projecting tongues 49, 49 spaced corresponding to the spacing of the slots 46, 46, and an end pair of inwardly projecting tongues 56-50 spaced corresponding to the spacing of the slots 47, 41.

In assembling this form of my invention, the several tongues of the finger-piece 27 are passed through the related slots of the panel 26 and the end tongues 56-56 are riveted over against the inner face of the panel 26, thereby securely fastening the finger-piece and the panel together. The leaf spring 25, which is a simple bowed leaf spring, then is placed against the inner face of the front flange or wall 23 of the receptacle with its ends engaging said flange or wall and its medial portion is deflected toward said wall, whereby it is energized. The finger-piece and panel assembly then is engaged downwardly over the flange or wall 23 with the tongues 48 and 49, 49 alined with the notches 44 and 43, 43, which notches said tongues enter. At the same time, the downturned inner end of the tongue 48 engages the face of the leaf spring 25 which is remote from the inner face of the receptacle front wall 23, thereby maintaining said spring deflected and energized, which, in turn, causes the panel tobe held snugly and yieldably against the front face of the receptacle wall 23. When the tongues 48 and 49, 49 enter the notches 44 and 43, 43, the bottom flange 36 of the panel passes below the bottom edges of the prongs 42 and the panel snaps inwardly with said flange 36 underlying said prongs. Thereby, the panel is retained in assembly with the wall 23 for rocking movement about the points of engagement of the flange 36 with the front face of thewall 23 and the bottom edges of the prongs 42. Obviously, the tongues 49, 49 by engaging in the notches 43, 43, hold the panel against downward, endwise or rotative movements relative to the receptacle wall 23.

When the finger-piece 21 is depressed as indicated by the arrow A in Figs. 11 and 13, the panel 26 is rocked outwardly and the flange 31 at the top of said panel is disengaged from the detents 28 of the receptacle cover 2! so that the receptacle cover is free to be swung manually or to swing upwardly and backwardly in the direction of the arrow B in said figures under the spring action of its hinge, as the case may be. In this action, the tongues 49, 49 rock slightly in the notches 4343 and the center tongue 48 further deflects the spring 25 so that upon release of pressure on the finger-piece the mechanism is restored to its normal position ready to latch the cover closed when, subsequently, it is swung closed.

Various other modifications in design and construction may obviously be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A fastener for a receptacle having a hinged cover provided with a lug comprising a panel disposed against the front face of the front wall of the receptacle and projecting upwardly beyond the free edge thereof, said panel having inwardly directed top and bottom flanges, projections on the front wall of the receptacle above the bottom flange of the panel holding the panel against upward movement relative to said wall, means including a spring holding the panel yieldably against the front face of the front wall of the receptacle and against downward and endwise movement of the panel relative to said wall, said panel being rockable about the line of engagement of the edge of its bottom flange with the front face of the front wall of the receptacle, and the top flange of the panel overlying the lug on the cover when the cover is closed, thereby to hold the cover closed until the panel is rockedto swing its top portion forwardly.

2. A fastener for a receptacle having a hinged cover provided with a lug comprising a panel disposed against the front face of the front wall of the receptacle and projecting upwardly beyond the free edge thereof, said panel having inwardly directed top and bottom flanges, projections on the front wall of the receptacle above the bottom flange of the panel holding the panel against upward movement relative to said wallf'a leaf spring within said panel fastened medially thereto and having end portions disposed behind said projections and other portions overlying said projections, thereby the panel is retained on said receptacle front wall and is yieldably urged against the front face thereof for rocking movement about the line of contact of its bottom flange with the front face of said receptacle front wall, and the top flange of the panel overlying the lug on the cover when the cover is closed, thereby to hold the cover closed until the panel is rocked to swing its top portion outwardly.

3. Al'fastener for a receptacle having a hinged cover provided with a lug comprising a panel disposed against the front face of the front wall of the receptacle and projecting upwardly beyond the free edge thereof, said panel having inwardly directed top and bottom flanges, projections on the front wall of the receptacle above the bottom flange of the panel holding the panel against upward movement relative to said wall, a tongue rigid with and extending inwardly from said panel across the edge of the-receptacle front wall to the inner side of said wall, said tongue having a downturned extremity, a bowed leaf spring between the downturned extremity of said tongue and the inner face of the receptacle front wall holding the panel yieldably against the outer face of said front wall for rocking movement about the line of contact of its bottom flange with the front face of the front wall of the receptacle, and the top flange of the panel overlying the lug on the cover when the cover is closed, thereby to hold the cover closed until the panel is rocked to swing its top portion outwardly.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 2 in which a finger-piece is secured to the panel for rocking the same and in which the spring is fastened to the panel by said finger-piece.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 3 in which a finger-piece is secured to the panel for rocking the same and in which the tongue having the downturned end is carried by said finger-piece.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 3 including additional lugs rigid with the panel and engaged in notches in the free edge of the front wall of the receptacle to hold the panel against downward and rotative movements relative to said front wall.

7. A fastener for a receptacle including a first and a second receptacle element each having a front wall and relatively movable between open and closed positions, comprising a panel disposed against the outer face of the front wall of the first element and extending beyond the free edge of said wall, inwardly directed flanges at opposite sides of said panel, means including a spring holding said panel yieldably against the front wall of the first element for rocking movement about the line of contact of the edge of the flange thereof which is in engagement with said wall, on the front wall of the second receptacle element having a projection adapted to lie inwardly of the other flange of said panel when the elements are relatively closed.

8. A mounting arrangement for a fastener adapted for attachment to a receptacle wall having a pair of outwardly directed prongs, including an element having slidable association with said prongs in one direction, a second element 'for attachment to said first element including a portion having engagement with said prongs when said first element is associated with the prongs, and means for securing said elements after said first element has been positioned in association with said prongs, said securing means causing lateral displacement of said first element towards said second element whereby the first element is positively seated between said prongs and said wall and said second element portion engages said prongs to prevent removal of the fastener.

9. A mounting arrangement for a fastener adapted for attachment to a receptacle Wall having a pair of outwardly directed prongs, including a resilient bowed element having slidable association with said prongs in one direction, a second element for attachment to said resilient element includinga portion having engagement with said prongs when said resilient element is associated with the prongs, said resilient element having an intermediate portion which is normally bowed away from the second element and having seating portions adapted for disposal between the prongs, and means for securing said resilient element to said second element after said resilient element has been positioned in association with said prongs in a manner to cause said intermediate portion of the resilient element to flex towards said second element and the seating portions of said resilient element to expand and engage behind said prongs.

10. The device of claim 8, both of said elements being disposed externally of the receptacle wall in such manner that no portions thereof project within the receptacle.

11. The device of claim 9, said seating portions when expanded to positively engage behind the prongs simultaneously causing said second element portion to draw in beneath the prongs to prevent translation of said resilient element in a direction opposite to its original seating directional movement.

' FRITZ R. JOHNSON. 

